Friday, March 30, 2012

Althusser (1918-1990) – schools as ISAs and filters for class and labour

Despite the sad end to his life – he strangled his wife and spent his last
years in an asylum, Althuser, born in Algiers, attempted to reconcile Marxism
with structuralism. Like
Gramsci, Althusser saw education as the means by which the class system
perpetuates itself, stratifying people into workers, the petty bourgeoisie and
capitalists. Schools are a means of control by the ruling class and capitalism,
and a preparation for work (work being the defining characteristic of
submission and class). The appearance of a meritocracy in schools, he thinks, masks
the reality of ideological control. He says this through, what at times, is
almost unreadable prose and jargon.

Ideological State
Apparatuses - schools

Education
is an Ideological State Apparatus (ISA) working through schools, family,
culture, politics, the law and unions. These must be distinguished from a
Repressive State Apparatus (RSA); such as the army, police, prisons and courts.
He saw himself as providing an improved Marxist analysis of the role of
education by identifying it as an Ideological State Apparatus that controls
rather than enlightens. However, he avoids interpreting this as a conspiracy or
planned phenomenon. It is simply a function of a scientific Marxist analysis of
capitalism.

Schools – the
primary ISA

Schools
(although it is sometimes unclear whether he means schools or education in
general) are the primary ISA that reproduce ruling ideology. It does this
through grading and assessment, so that the individual strives to achieve what
is set as standards of achievement, yet in reality are merely state sponsored
selection devices for work and class roles.

Schools and labour

We
have much to learn from his analysis of the role of education in sorting and
ranking people for the labour market and the political role of assessment and
the illusion of meritocracy in schools. Some would argue that education has
been subjected to intense political and ideological control, a process which
must be rolled back to a more meritocratic and balanced approach.

Religion

Education
was not the only ISA for Althusser, religion was another and this has turned
out to be just as powerful a force in terms of the reinforcement of power
through education. In some states, such as Israel and Arab states, the state
religion is a core curriculum subject, in many others it is less explicit but
just as strong a presence. In many ways this is a more obvious form of
ideological apparatus, pushing young minds towards a specific, dominant set of
beliefs before they have the ability to choose.

Conclusion

We
can learn from Althusser, that education is not a neutral activity. It is often
loaded with politics, religion and other underlying belief systems. Rather than
being a producing autonomous, open-minded adult, it can to a degree, produce
mere followers and close young minds. There is some truth in this idea of
education perpetuating the myth of ideological positions but some of
Althusser’s theories are extremely abstract, and those who saw themselves as
changing the world through education were to be bitterly disappointed. It was
they who were seen to be clinging on to an ideology, which in itself has had
its day. With Althusser, Marxist theory in education had run its course.
History, a much admired Marxist tool, had proved them wrong.

Bibliography

Althusser, Louis,(1977) Lenin and
Philosophy" and Other Essays. London: New Left Books